Baking and drying oven



July 13 1926. 1,592,414 1 w. H. AYDELQTTE BAKING AND DRYING OVEN Filed May 19.22 I e Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR IV l- 7. 4761116 02 (if/l). and/mu ATTORNEY July 13,1926. 7 1,592,414

w. H. AYDELOTTE BAKING AND DRYING OVEN Filed May 11, 1922 6 t s t ,3

I. ""Igmgaggi mi 7 A Hi ELECTRIC HEAT UNITS ENAPORATING CHAMBER INVENTOR ATTORNEYO July 13, 1926.

' 1,592,414 w. H. AYDELOTTE BAKING AND DRYING OVEN Filed May 11, 1 2 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 x In. \3

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I l l INVENTOR ATTORNEY July 1.3 1926. 1,592,414

w. H. AYDELOTTE BAKING AND DRYING OVEN Filed May 1922 a Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 77616 JAMIE illkmdmm ATTORNEY) July 13, 1926.

4 1,592,414 w. H. AYDELOTTE BAKING AND DRYING OVEN Fil ed May 11, 1922 s s t 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented. July 13,

UNITED STA E WILLIAM H AYDELOTTE, 0F NIAGARA PATENT FALLS, was, ASSIGNOR To. THE

SHREDDED WHEAT COMPANY, oi NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

' .ippllcatdoir filed May 21',

Figure 1 is a side View partly in section and partly broken away of a portiori at the invention, nainely of one end of the baking and d'ryihg oven.

Figure 2 is a end of the oven.

Figure 3 is a trans-verse vertical section of the oven, upon the [incit -A; Figure 5.

Figure 4 is a similar View taken through the discharge of the main conduit, the section being taken outhe line B=B,Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a side View of the invention, with parts removed;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the invention with parts broken away and, partly diagrammatic.

similar View of the other The invention has relation to baking and v drying oveus used the manufacture of cereal products.

It has never heretofore been possible toinainrtacture cereal filamentous biscuit Without brealiihgthe continuity of the mechanical operation for the purpose ol baking the biscuit aird thereafterdrying the same to an extent adn'iittingof" thepacking directly into cartons," it having been necessary to deposit the green biscuit upon trays as in the Patent No. 678,625 of July 16 190 1, toremove the trays to a halting oven, and to remove the trays tromi saidoven to an evaporator, as in the Patent No. 7%,145 of December 8, 1903. s

It is an ob'e'ct' therefore of this invention to provide a baking and drying oven; upon the conveyor o'f'which are deposited directly the green biscuit from the niachine ot the first named patent, and to bake" and dry the biscuit in a: continuous automatic manner and to produce the biscuit ready to be packed directly into the cartons following the removal of the baked and dried biscuit from said conveyor. i i

The invention also relates to halringand' drying processes for cereal products, having "a 'si-inil'ar'object. Qther' object s and advantages will appear.

The invention consists in the novel con-- struction' and combinations of parts as well as 111 the novel procedure orassoc'iated stepsset fol-thin the appended claims;

in the accompanying;drawirrgs illustrating' aireinhodiment of the inventio and of a means for carrying" out the process; A designates the oven casing, having 'a horizontal partition B, dividing the same into upper BAKIuG AND" DRYING ov'Eu.

1922; Serial No. $60,173;

an: upper shallow chamber and a lower comparatively deep chamber, both chambers being electrically heated by unit's C, C, arranged i1'1' greater number or more coin pact-ly' the upper than in the lower chem ber, whereby the tornier is more highly heated than the latter. :The heating units C" are also arranged more compactly the up er than in the lower parts of the re-- sf; 'ive chambers.

The biscuit are conveyed first through the upper chamber D, and "thereafter through the lower chamberE, by endless conveyor chain 1, having a plurality of horizontal stretches and passing over end sprocket Wheels 2; and 3 are the trays or receptacles 015 said chain Whereonthe biscuit are deposited previous to entry into-the oven, as will appear trom the co-pefiding application S. No. 560 1345, filed May IL 1 922," the co-pending application S; No; 5525037 being referred to for the detail structure of the chain conveyor, the conveyor' having leugth In and a path througli the'lower or dr ing chamber at least twice its length in and path tl i-rough the upper or baking chamber;

The biscuit deposited upon the c 'ofiveyor, are passed thereby upwardly into the upper or flash heat chamber at 3'0, and-are cori- 'veye'd back and forth longitudinally of saidbe confined therein substantially until the end of the run? or operation' of the oven in baking and drying a definite quantity of biscuit. a result of the atorc-sa'id the biscuit de nosited u on the conve 01 are caused to travel first contii-iuously through the upper more highly heated: portion of the chamber and their continuously through lower progressively less heated portions thereof, and" thereafter at first continuously through the more hi'g l'i'ly heat ed upper 7 portion of the lower chamber and then continuously through lower progressively less heated portions thereof. The oven is provided with lateral doors G, and with doors H at one end, which may be opened should occasion arise or at the end of the said run.

The biscuit having been carried by the conveyor from the upper into the lower chamber are passed along the latter longitudinally for a sufficient number of times back and forth to dry the biscuit or to evaporate therefrom the major part of the moisture content not evaporated in the upper or baki chamber, this evaporation or drying in the lower evaporation chamber being materially assisted by establishing a circulation of the comparatively dry air therein by suitable means, in the present instance the air being. drawn olf from one end of the lower chamber E at I, through conduit J, and reintroduced into the opposite end of said chamber at 31, the circulation of the air being continuously maintained by the fan K in said conduit, and being an important part of the evaporating process.

The conveyor 1 carrying the baked biscuit upon the trays 3 thereof, emerges from the oven at 31, and thence passes horizontally at 82- through lower horizontal conduit L, and beneath the discharge mouth M of the conduit J, the air being discharged from the latter. conduit downwardly upon the baked biscuit, and serving to complete the evaporating process, the air thence passing through said lower conduit L to said opening 31, where it is reintroduced into the lower chamber E, and while passing along said lower conduit serving also to further dry the biscuit preliminary to the final drying thereof as the biscuit pass the mouth M of the conduit J. The air so discharged upon the baked biscuit is moving at a greater speed than that of the circulation of the air in the lower chamber E, and has consequent increased drying influence upon the biscuit, and being discharged downwardly upon the biscuit, has no tendency to lift the biscuit from the conveyor. The air currentmoving through the lower conduit L hasalso similarly greater speed and increased drying effect upon the biscuit.

The conduit L is extended past the mouth M at L and incloses the lower stretch 32 of the conveyor at this end, and the sprocket wheel 32 of the conveyor, the latter thence passing upwardly to the sprocket wheel 34, a valve N being provided at the forward end of the conduit L.

The conveyor chain 1 is made up of twelve stretches each stretch being about seventy feet in length in the oven and drier casing, this great l ngth of chain conveyor being made necessary to admit of the requisite continuity of the baking and drying process in attaining the objects hereinbefore stated.

Two vertical loops are formed in the conveyor 1, which as it emerges from the oven is extended horizontally at 32, to sprocket wheels 33, thence upwardly to sprocket wheels 34, thence downwardly to sprocket wheels 35, thence horizontally to sprocket wheels 36 to form the lower stretch of one of said loops, the conveyor passing thence upwardly to spr cket wheels 37 to complete the first loop, the conveyor passing thence horizontally to sprocket wheels 38, thence downwardly to sprocket wheels 39, thence horizontally to sprocket wheels to form the lower stretch of the second loop, and thence upwardly to sprocket wheels 29 to complete the second loop and through entrance opening leading to the upper or baking chamber of the oven casing, a downwardly projecting hood 30 guarding said entrance opening against escape of heat from said chamber and fornr ing an entrance passage for said conveyor.

The two loops formed as stated, are suspended from certain of said sprocket wheels, and the sprocket wheels in the lower bends of the loops are suspended from rods 41, depending from frame 42 and pivotally connected thereto at their upper ends at 43, each pair of the rods l1 having connection rod is, pivotally connected thereto at 45, and the adjacent rods 11 of the two loops having connection rod 46, pivotally con nected thereto at 47.

The means for depositing the biscuit upon tl e conveyor include a feed conveyor having links 6, in communication with suction chamberH, and valve plates actuated by cams V, and arms Z, as fully described in said first named patent.

I claim l. The process of baking and drying filamentous cereal biscuit, consisting in passing the same in continuous succession through anoven to bake the biscuit and evaporate the major part of the moisture content thereof, and maintaining a circulation of the air in the oven, and discharging a current of more rapidly moving air upon the baked biscuit.

2. The process of baking and drying filamentous cereal biscuit, consisting in passing the same in continuous succession through a highly heated oven to bake the biscuit and partially evaporate the moisture content thereof, and thereafter passing the biscuit through a less highly heated oven to evaporate the major part of the remaining moisture content, and maintaining a cir culation of the air in the last named oven and discharging a current of more rapidly moving air upon the baked biscuit.

3. A process for baking and drying cereal filamentous biscuit, consisting in initially i in L zones of progressively decreasing temperatures to dry the biscuit, and maintaining a circulation of the air 1n the last named zones and finally discharging a current of more rapidly moving air upon the baked and dried biscuit.

4:. A process for baking and drying cereal filamel'itous biscuit, consisting in initially moving the biscuit continuously through a plurality of zones of relatively high pro gressively decreasing temperatures to bake the biscuit, and thereafter continuously moving the biscuit through a plurality of zones of progressively decreasing temperatures to dry the biscuit, and maintaining a circulation ot the air in the last named zones and finally discharging a current of more rapidly moving air upon the baked and: dried biscuit.

5. In a. baking and drying even, a casing provided with a. partition dividing the same into two chambers, means for conveying biscuit first through one of said chambers and thereafter through the other chamber, means for heating the first named chamber to a high degree and the other chamber to a lower degree, and-{means for maintaining a circulation. of the air 1n the last named chamber and fordischarging a current of more rapidly moving air upon the baked biscuit.

6. In. a baking and. drying oven, a casing provided with a. partition dividing the same into two chambers, means for conveying biscuit first through one of; saidichambers and thereafter through the other chamber, means for heating the first named chamber to a high degree and the other chamber to a lower degree, and: means for maintaining a circulation of the air in the last named chamber and. for discharging acurrent or more rapidly moving air downwardly 11130 the baked biscuit. I

7. In a baking and: drying oven, a casing provided with a. horizontal partition divid ing the same into an. upper chamber and a lower chamber, means. for conveying biscuit first through theupper chamber and thereafter through thelower chamber, means:

for heating the upper chamber to a high degree and the lower chamber to a lower degree, and means for maintaining a circulation of. the air in the lower chamber and for discharging in-g; air upon the baked: biscuit.

8. Ina. baking and. drying oven, a casing provided with. a: horizontal: partition dividing'the same into an. upper chamber and a lower chamber, means for conveying bis cu-it first through the upper chamber and thereafter; through. the: lowerachamber, means a 'currentioli more rapidly mov-- for heating the upper chamber to a high degree and the. lower chamber to a lower degree, and means for maintaining a circulation of the air in the lower chamber and for discharging a current or more rapidly moving air downwardly upon the baked biscuit. I

9". In a baking and dryingoven, a casing provided with a partition dividing the same into two chambers, means for conveying biscuit first through oneof saidchambers and thereafter through the other chamber, means for heating the first named chamber to a high degree and the I other chamber to a lower degree, and means for maintaining a circulation of the air in the last named chamber and for discharging a current of more rapidly moving air upon the baked,

biscuit including a lower horizontal conduit for the conveyor and comunicating with the lower chamber at one end thereof, a

main conduit having an intake at the other end of the lower chamber and a discharge into said lower conduit,-and a tan.

I0. In a baking and drying oven, a casing provided with a horizontal partition dividing the same into an upper chamber and a ing with the lower chamber at one end thereod, a main conduit having an intake at the other end of the lower chamber and a discharge intothe first named conduit, and v a fan I 11'. In a. baking and drying oven, a casing provided with a horizontal partition dividing the same into an upper chamber and a'lower chamber, an endless conveyorpassmg first through the upper chamberand thereafter through the lower cha1nber,means for heating the upper chamber toa'h-i gh degree and the lower chamber to a' lower degree, and means for maintaining a circulation of the airin the lower chamber and for discharging" a current of more rapidly moving air upon the baked biscuit, including a lower conduit for the conveyor "and communicating with one end of the lower chamber, a main conduit having an intake at the other end of the lower: chamber and" a discharge into said" lower conduit, and a fan.

12. Ina lower chamber, an endless conveyor pass ing first through the upper chamber and baking and drying oven, a casing provided with. a. horizontal partition divid ,ing the same lnto an upper chamber and a thereafter through the lower chamber and without the same at the same end of the oven through which it entered, means for heating the upper chamber to a high degree and the lower chamber to a lower degree, and means for maintaining a circulation of the air in the lower chamber and for discharging a current of more rapidly moving air downwardly upon the baker biscuit includ ing a lower horizontal conduit for the convey r, a main conduit having an intake at one end of the lower chamber and a discharge into said lower conduit, and a tan, said lower conduit being continued past said discharge and having a valve.

13. In a baking and drying oven, a casing provided with a horizontal partition dividthe same into upper and lower chambers, an endless conveyor having a plurality of horizontal stretcles located in said upper chamber and a plurality of horizontal stretches located in said lower chamber, and a plurality of? heating elements in said up per chamber, located at increasing distances above successive lower conveyor stretches, said conveyor being adapted to convey biscuit continuously through the oven along successively lower stretches.

14L. In a baking and drying oven, a casing provided with a horizontal partition dividing the same into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, an endless conveyor chain having a plurality of horizontal stretches for conveying biscuit first through the upper chamber and thereafter through the lower chamber, means for heating the upper chamber to a higlrdegree adapted to bake the biscuit and means for heating the lower chamber to a lesser degree adapted to dry the biscuit, said upper chamber being adapted to retain therein moisture given off by the biscuit, and means for maintaining a circulation of a given body of air in said lower chamber adapted to prevent loss thereof.

15. In a baking and drying oven, a casing provided with a horizontal partition dividing the same into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, anendless conveyor chain having a plurality of horizontal stretches for conveying biscuit first through the upper chamber and thereafter through the lower chamber, means for heating the upper chamber to a high degree adapted to bake the biscuit and means for heating the lower chamber to a lesser degree adapted to dry the biscuit, and means for drawing otl' air from one end of said lower chamber and re introducing the same at the other end thereof to thereby maintain a circulation of the air in the drying chamber.

16. In a baking and drying oven, a horizontally elongated casing provided near the top thereof with a horizontal partition dividing the same into an upper shallow chamher and a lower comparatively deep chamber, electrical heating elements disposed in the two chambers and adapted to heat the upper chamber to a baking degree and the lower chamber to a lesser degree, an endless conveyor having a plurality of hori zontal stretches and adapted to convey biscuit first continuously through the more highly heated portion of the upper chamber and then continuously through progressively less heated portions thereof and thereafter at first continuously through the more highly heated portion of the lower chamber and then continuously through lower progres sively less heated portions thereof, said conveyor having a length in and a path through the lower chamber at least twice its length in and path through the upper chamber and having a looped portion located without said casing, said lower chamber having a horizontal extension underlying said looped portion of the conveyor, said conveyor passing through said extension and emerging therefrom to said looped portion, and said upper chamber having an entrance opening provided with a hood, the looped portion of the conveyor passing through said hood to said opening.

ii". In a baking and drying even, a horizontally elongated casing provided near the top thereof with a horizontal partition dividing the same into an upper shallow chamber and a lower comparatively deep chamber, electrical heating elements disposed in the two chambers and adapted to heat the upper chamber to a baking degree and the lower chamber to a lesser degree, an endless conveyor having a plurality of horizontal stretches and adapted to convey biscuit first continuously through the more highly heated portion of the upper chamber and then continuously through lower progressively less heated port-ions thereof and thereafter at first continuously through the more highly heated portion of the lower chamber and then continuously through lower progressively less heated portions thereof, said conveyor having a length in and a path through the lower chamber at least twice its length in and path through the upper chamber, and air circulation means for withdrawing the air from one end portion of said lower chamber and reintroducing the same at the opposite end portion of said chamber.

18. In a baking and drying oven, a horizontally elongated casing provided near the top thereof with a horizontal partition dividing the same into an upper shallow chainher and a lower comparatively deep chamber, electrical heating elements disposed in the two chambers and adapted to heat the upper chamber to a baking degree and the lower chamber to a lesser degree, an endless conveyorhaving a plurality of horizontal stretches and adapted to convey biscuit first continuously through the more highly heated portion of the upper chamber and then continuously through lower progressively less heated portions thereof and thereafter at first continuously through the more highly heated portion of the lower chamber and then continuously through lower progressively less heated portions thereof, said conveyor having a length in and a path through the lower chamber at least twice its length in and path through the upper chamber, said conveyor having a chamber and reintroducing the same at the V.

opposite .end thereof through said horizontal extension.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

W. H. AYDELOTTE, 

